Syrians protest Israel’s incursions near occupied Golan Heights

Syrians have staged demonstrations across the country in a nationwide show of solidarity against Israel's incursions into the country's south, near the occupied Golan Heights. Al Jazeera's Heidi Pett, reporting from the protests, said demonstrators turned out in Damascus, Homs and other cities to stand with residents facing Israeli military operations.

Pett reported that people in southern Syria face raids, incursions, arrests and shootings by Israeli troops on what residents describe as a near-daily basis. Israeli forces have bulldozed olive groves, set up checkpoints and detained residents in the area, according to the report. Pett reported from among the demonstrators, who described themselves as increasingly frustrated by the incursions.

The protests reflect mounting frustration among southern residents, who say Israeli troops are not only carrying out raids but also constructing new military bases and roads and blocking roads with barriers. Demonstrators waved Syrian flags and called for an end to what they describe as Israel's occupation of parts of the country's south.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed the territory in 1981, a move not recognised internationally. The protests come amid wider regional tensions involving Israel and Iran, and mark a significant public show of defiance against the Israeli military presence in southern Syria.